What are the best practical jokes ever engineered?

Welcome to our 5 Engineers section, part of this blog and our Fun Friday newsletter, where we toss out a question and invite our audience to respond with their wittiest answers.

This week, with April Fools’ Day just around the corner, we’re looking for less witty and more prankster-style answers when we ask: What are the best practical jokes ever engineered?

It seems like practical jokes run as deep in the blood of engineers as does the call to innovate. Especially the analog folks out there -- I can’t remember ever meeting an analog engineer who didn’t have a wickedly orchestrated practical joke in their history.

Pranks are best when no one gets hurt, of course, and when they make a point. You’ll find plenty of practical jokes published on EDN.com over the years, some that rage against management’s foolish decisions, some that show up athletes, and others that expose the voice of engineering in flash mob. But now we’d like to hear some of your favorites.

So, what are the best practical jokes ever engineered? Tell us about the stunts you’ve pulled, have enjoyed being a spectator to, or have heard about that involve engineering or engineers in the comments field below. From the big to the small, so long as they’re fun, we want to hear about them all.

Share your comment below. Be sure to stay tuned to this blog for more 5 Engineers questions in the weeks to come.